Topic: Private Sector Access to Outer Space
Country: Syria
Delegate Name: Vipul Adusumilli
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Syria position papers GLIMUN 2016 committees
The Outer Space treaty restricts the exploration of outer space to peaceful purposes and says it should be performed for the benefit of all nations. Article VI specifically addresses nongovernmental entities in space; it declares nations should "require authorization" and "continuing supervision" of citizens' actions. Space tourism is space travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. A number of startup companies have sprung up in recent years, such as Virgin Galactic and XCOR Aerospace, hoping to create a sub-orbital space tourism industry. Orbital space tourism opportunities have been limited and expensive, with only the Russian Space Agency providing transport to date. Space technologies also affect agriculture planning, disaster management, medicine, land monitoring, transportation and urban planning. Its manifold fields of application make space an engine of economic growth. Despite the economic crisis, institutional space budget faced less decrease than other productive sectors. OECD underlined that, even though space often has a reputation of being an expensive industry, all G20 Countries invest in their respective national space program a very small percentage of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product). The benefits provided by the use of space assets range from qualitative aspects, such as strategic advantages and improved decision-making processes based on satellite imagery, to monetarily quantifiable ones, such as cost-efficiency and increased safety derived from using satellite navigation tools for ground, maritime and aviation applications. Scientific and technological innovations are making space applications accessible to more people, being vehicle of social and economic growth also for developing Countries.
As Syria our space program interest is practical and symbolic. The Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, the outer space treaty, is a treaty that forms the basis of international space law. We want to conduct scientific research in space. A satellite would help us with communication and disaster responses. It would not cost us much money even in our current economic state. The space agency would be small due to evaporating academic community. Many universities have been destroyed over the course of the war. Most students and professors are either fleeing the country or joining the government or opposition groups. If the UN helps us fund space project, we believe it will help make us a better country. State news agency SANA said the cabinet had approved a project to create the so-called Syrian Space Agency, “with the goal of using space technology for exploration and observing the earth.”
Our people want a satellite because if there was a disaster it would help us out and a satellite would also help with communication. We are trying to make space traveler cheaper for everyone, but in order to do that first we need a working satellite in space. We have crude oil to help other countries as well. We the people of Syria need to rebuild our country and we believe giving all countries a fair chance and countries having the most developed space program such as the United States and Russia should give all countries equal share and not monopolize space. We believe investing in space would benefit our economy greatly.
